diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
index fe5e0376b..e10579327 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/ExecuteOn.java
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ public class ExecuteOn extends ExecTask {
                 }
             }
 
-            if (parallel) {
+            if (parallel && (fileNames.size() > 0 || !skipEmpty)) {
                 String[] s = new String[fileNames.size()];
                 fileNames.copyInto(s);
                 File[] b = new File[baseDirs.size()];